James and his teammates walked through the training facility’s mess hall, surrounded by the intense chatter of other Awakeners. The previous day's training had been somewhat grueling, with Leonid putting them through several more simulations to push them to their limits. Still, they had managed to satisfy the man, who had given them an hour of extra time in the morning so that he could prepare for the next step.

James had been a bit worried about what he may come up with, but he figured he'd deal with it when the time came.

They got their food and sat at a corner table where they wouldn't bother the older trainees. After some mumbled conversation, they were interrupted as a nearby discussion became more heated.

Two Awakeners, a man and the same woman who had helped them the previous day, were busy gesticulating as they walked closer, their trays held aloft in the air next to them, keeping pace with their strides.

Finally, they stopped before the table Team 0 had claimed. The grizzled, muscular, but short Hispanic man sat down without asking for permission and began speaking. "Teamwork is a valuable asset." He said, his gaze piercing, stopping anyone from interrupting. "But you must not forget the importance of individual strength. Ultimately, your survival will depend solely on your abilities, nine times out of ten. This is not the army, where everyone operates as a unit."

James exchanged glances with his teammates, somewhat jarred by the abruptness with which the man had addressed them. Still, he didn't see why he shouldn't engage positively, since there was no overt aggression within the man's presence. Rather, he seemed eager to help.

"Individual strength is vital." James acknowledged. "But our team dynamic has been our greatest asset. It's gotten us through situations where solo skills might have fallen short."

The woman, who had been observing the exchange with interest, chimed in. "Your teamwork is what sets you apart." She said, addressing the man's point. "In a world filled with powerful Awakeners, it's not just about how strong you are alone but how effectively you can combine your strengths. I was able to review some of the footage from your drills yesterday, and I have to say, it's not every day you see people within the first tier handle monsters that well."

James furrowed his brows. He didn't disagree with her, but the fact that she had been allowed to access that information without anyone asking them for permission didn't sit well with him.

The man grunted, interrupting the question brewing within James' mind, not entirely convinced but not dismissing their perspective outright. "Perhaps. But don't lose sight of developing yourselves as individuals. Balance is key. Being overly reliant on your teammates is a good way for everyone to die the second someone goes down."

He seemed to be speaking from experience, going by the sheer gravitas he exuded, but James was still focused on what the woman had said. "Why were you shown our footage?"

Apparently realizing she had made something of a faux pas, Agent Martinez coughed. "Sorry, I didn't think of how that would sound. I have a Talent that allows me to look at people's potential, and I help Mr. Stein and the other instructors around here by giving them the information they need to craft the best training regimens possible."

James narrowed his eyes slightly as he processed her explanation. It was a relief to know that her interest was professional, but it still left him feeling somewhat exposed.

Martinez seemed to pick up on his discomfort. "I understand your concern." She said, her tone more reassuring now. "But it's all in the interest of maximizing your training here. Each of you has unique strengths that, when combined, create a formidable team. My job is to help Mr. Stein and others here tap into that potential."

Daniel was apparently less bothered about the infringement of their privacy and leaned forward with interest. "So, what did you think? Are we on the right track?"

Martinez smiled, her eyes reflecting a genuine belief in their potential. "Absolutely. Your talents complement each other remarkably well. With the right guidance, I believe you have a real shot at achieving the next tier within a month or two. That's quite rare."

Lauren, always the skeptic, frowned. "How can you tell after watching us hit a few hard light constructs? We were never in real danger."

"Her Talent gives her a lot of information." The man who had yet to name himself stated. "Nothing too personal, but it's handy for this kind of place."

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Agent Martinez shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "It's true that I was recruited specifically for my Talent, but I like to think I have an eye for these things." She explained. “Mr. Stein’s training will hone your skills to their peak. Once you're ready, we'll 'carry' you through F-rank dungeons. These will provide large amounts of EXP, but they're often too risky for teams at your current level without support. This way, you can accumulate experience rapidly and push for the next tier safely."

The idea of being 'carried' through higher-level dungeons was a new concept for Team 0, and it sparked some controversy. The possibility of leveling up that quickly was enticing, but it also meant facing dangers they couldn't defend themselves against and owing their growth entirely to other people.

Also, there is a reason why Miss Walker didn't just take us to a C-rank dungeon and let us kill monsters there. Contribution to a death determines the EXP given, and if we just deal the final blow, we won't get too much out of it. Well, I guess there might be more methods than just that.

Their conversation was interrupted as that very same woman joined them, emerging from the shadows, which immediately brought silence to the mess hall. It seemed even here, she had something of a reputation. "Agent Martinez is right." She confirmed. "This power leveling method was more common in the early days of the AA, especially when we were rapidly trying to build up our ranks. It fell out of use as the focus shifted away from taking in rookies, but with the success of the Dawn Initiative, we're seriously thinking of reviving it."

Martinez and her companion stood up and greeted Miss Walker like a soldier would their commanding officer, spine straight and eyes forward. "Ma'am!"

"At ease." The masked woman replied, barely sparing the two a glance. "I know that I've taught you not to rely on others as a quick way to power. Therein lies complete stagnation later on. But you have to realize that you kids have been through more than a team with three times your experience usually has. You just need to catch up on EXP, and this is the best place to get that."

Seeing that they were still not fully convinced, she added. "Just as it's possible to ruin one's growth by accelerating too much in the beginning, obtaining cheap power like your little nemesis in the Radiant Guild did." Wait, is she talking about Callum? Why would she bring him up now? "So it's possible to lose your pace if your experience surpasses your power. You'll end up facing problems you won't have the strength to get out of, which is a speedy way to end your career."

She looked at each of them in turn, sighing. "Your team has been a groundbreaking experiment. The AA is considering expanding the Dawn Initiative based on your progress, which would seriously help us fight back against the Guilds, since they have been stepping up their recruiting efforts lately. We are pushing you this hard… I am pushing you this hard, not only because I can see the storm clouds on the horizon, but because I know you can take it. You kids are ready for the bigger leagues, and it would be a disservice to make you wait."

James looked around, somewhat worried to speak of such matters aloud, but his teacher waved his worries away. "Everything we discuss here stays within these walls." Miss Walker reassured James, sensing his concern. "Leonid runs a tight ship. Everyone in this facility has been thoroughly vetted, and he wouldn't tolerate any traitor in our midst."

This seems a bit uncharacteristic of her. She's always been so careful with this kind of information… I wonder what she's up to.

Seemingly, the woman understood his thoughts because she gifted him a wink. James sighed, deciding he had too little information to draw conclusions and would have to wait and see what her plotting led to.

Then, Miss Walker's gaze sharpened. "Alright, finish eating and prepare yourselves. Today, you will participate in exercises with the other trainees. These are designed to stretch your abilities to their utmost. You'll need to be at your best."

With that, she stood up and left, leaving Team 0 to finish their meal in a contemplative silence. Each was lost in thought, considering the magnitude of the tasks ahead.

After breakfast, the team made their way outside, where several mages were busy setting up the fields for the day's training. James could feel a massive concentration of mana moving about as they prepared various spells.

The sky was overcast, and the air crackled with the energy of various elemental manipulations.

One area to the far left was utterly dark. No light pierced the sparring field there, and it took little effort to realize it was meant to push their SENSE to its limits.

Another was similar to the exercise they had witnessed on their first day at the facility. Sheets of ice covered the field, and cold winds howled through it as two mages rested at its border, their crystal staffs at their sides.

A dozen more fields of all different types were in the process of being set up, all looking extremely intense.

James felt a knot of apprehension in his stomach as he observed the extreme conditions under which they would be training. He exchanged glances with his teammates, seeing his own trepidation mirrored in their eyes.

Ezekiel swallowed hard, his voice barely audible over the howling wind. "This is... intense."

Squaring her shoulders, Maria grinned, determination flashing in her eyes. "We can handle this. We've faced worse."

Daniel grunted in agreement, though his eyes were fixed on where three hulking Awakeners were strapping shields of various make to their arms, and something that looked a bit too much like a cannon was being readied on the other side.

"Team 0." A familiar voice boomed, and Leonid Stein appeared from behind a squat building James had not noticed before. "Good. I want you to go through every course at least twice today. I have ensured the operators know to adjust the strength to your levels, but be sure to give it your all, or you might regret it." He finished ominously, his dark sunglasses glinting.

Meanwhile, James was busy exploring every inch of the newly revealed building with his senses. Now that he knew it was there, he could find it easily, but before the man had walked out of it, he had no idea of its presence.

Inside, a dozen people were sitting around, their minds focused. It took James a little while to understand what he had stumbled upon.

The command center for the entire facility, and likely the central point from which they operated the wards he could feel distantly humming around them.

I can understand why I didn't notice it before, since they must be employing high-tier masking wards, and why I noticed it as Leonid walked out since a breach was opened, but why am I able to keep sensing it now?

Thakinetic Awareness should have either allowed him to sense the presences inside at the beginning, or not at all.

"I meant NOW!" The blond A-ranker screamed, startling Team 0 into motion.

So many mysteries, so little time. James lamented before he refocused on the present, staring intently at the sphere of darkness that covered the field he was walking toward.